Frigid Euphoria
by Kurosaki's Storyteller
Summary: A mix of sentences, drabbles, one shots, and multi-chapters of the world's most unexpected couple. RussiaxSeychelles.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Frigid Euphoria

Chapter One Summary: Russia invites Seychelles to his home in order to feel in the void of loneliness and Sesel is feeling a little shy and nervous.

Warnings: None.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

A cold, hard breeze made Ivan wrap his scarf tightly around him as he walked out of the house and into the snow. He paused when he reached his backyard, filled with pots of dead sunflowers and shriveled up vegetables, the remnants of the garden he tried to build years ago but failed.

'_It's impossible to grow anything in this frozen wasteland…but if your patient enough perhaps your garden will bloom.'_

Sesel's words echoed through his mind as he stopped in front of a rather large sunflower that never did make it during last year's blizzard. The memory of Sesel helping him plant his prized sunflower seeds stood out in his mind.

Seychelles had looked so pretty all bundled up from head to toe, and the first time she'd planted a seed into the frozen ground, Seychelles had smiled as though it had been one of the happiest moments of her life. Sesel would call their gardening, 'Replenishing the earth.'

However, that alone was not the reason why he invited her to spend the weekend at his house. At first, he had expected her to laugh and hang up on him…but instead she agreed to come over and accepted the plane tickets he had bought for her.

Sesel had been his friend for years and while he did nothing to give her no reason to befriend him, she treated him with respect and defended him against the whispers aimed at him during every World Meeting.

"_Seychelles don't you get it!? He's a murdering freak! A monster!"_

"_How hypocritical of you America! France is a monster. I am a monster. England is a monster. North and South Italy are monsters. The Baltics are monsters. Even your precious brother Canada is a monster. We as countries do not have halos on our heads and as much as you claim to be the hero you're just as much as a monster as we are."_

That shut America up for once and he had no choice but to sulk and glare through narrowed blue eyes as Sesel sat back in her seat, silently daring for any of the other nations to challenge her words.

None did and the meeting resumed with no more cruel whispers and disdainful looks.

She did not have to defend him…and yet...and yet he felt warm whenever she did.

"_I defended you because we are friends…maybe even family. We are friends right?" _

Friends.

Ivan glanced at his watch. Her plane should have arrived over three hours ago, but according to her boss, her flight had been delayed due to technical difficulties on the plane. He missed her…perhaps he wasn't missing her like crazy but he did miss having her laughter fill the halls of his home, her cooking, her shy smiles, and even her stories on how she caught the largest tuna ever.

Now it was almost late evening, and he still had not heard anything from her.

He had called and left a message on her cellphone asking her to contact him when she got in. Ivan had hoped to hear from her last night and was afraid that she had lied about coming over to spend time with him or that she would not come over at all.

He had finally reached the conclusion that there was nothing he could do. It was her life as well as her decision as to what friend/ally she wanted. Being possessive of those closest to him had always been a flaw of his. It did not matter if they were family members, friends, lovers, or ex-lovers he could never find it within himself to fully let anyone in his life go.

Still, the thought of Sesel spending time with someone else made him a little jealous of whomever she was spending it with.

Ivan started walking again, this time back towards the house where a bottle of vodka awaited him. He would take a shower, sit in front of the fireplace, and wait for the call he was anxious to get. He had almost reached the front entrance to his home when he picked up a stick that had been buried in the snow to throw it.

"Mr. Russia?"

Ivan held his hand frozen in midair as his heart began to beating wildly in his chest. General Winter must be playing tricks on him. He had actually thought he heard Sesel call his name.

"Mr. Russia? Ivan?"

Finally accepting that the sound was not a trick of old man Winter, he quickly turned around.

Sesel was standing a few feet away from him all bundled up in a coat and snow boots, with a blue scarf around her neck and a fuzzy-looking hat on her head. Even with all of that, she still looked adorable.

"Sesel? When did you get here?" he asked, relieved to finally see her. His first instinct was to go over there and gather her up in his arms but common sense held him back. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel uncomfortable.

"I came straight from the airport over thirty minutes ago. I saw your car and figured you had to be here. I know it's been years since I've been to Russia but I can still tell when your home and when you're not."

Ivan nodded and watched as she folded her arms nervously across her chest. His brow rose with a question that he really did not want to ask. That look of nervousness did not bode well with him. Had she changed her mind at the last minute and wanted to go back home? A feeling of déjà vu shifted over him.

He would never forget that similar time with Lithuania and the others. That time when everyone left him, Sesel stayed for as long as she could but she eventually left after promising to write him letters. The only good thing that came out of her leaving was that she did keep her promise…he still had a box of letters and pictures tucked safely away under his bed.

"Do you…do you want to be here?"

Smiling, Sesel nodded, thinking Ivan didn't particularly act as though he wanted to see her. In addition, all this time she could not wait to leave the comfort of her island to come see him. She wrapped her arms tighter around herself. Maybe it was too early.

"Sesel?"

"Yes, I didn't come all the way out here to Russia just to have second thoughts."

" Da…let's go inside."

…..

"It feels nice and warm in here," Sesel said as she began to remove her coat, scarf, and hat. Ivan shrugged as he removed his jacket and then nodded toward the fireplace. "You may sit in front of the fire to warm up some more."

Sesel nodded. When she'd first arrived, she'd had other plans on how she wanted to make some tea and sit in front of the fireplace with him so that they could catch up, but now it just felt…awkward being in his home again.

"Thank you," she murmured as she quickly crossed the room to the huge brick fireplace that was emitting a massive amount of heat. She had always been comfortable in his presence…but that was only when he came to visit her country, ate lunch with her, or even when they sat next to each other during a World Meeting.

However, his house was filled with so many memories from the past…both good and bad. She almost felt like she wasn't welcomed. Perhaps it was just jitters. Ivan was nervous when he first came to her home and all it took was his first swimming lesson to get him to open up.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Ivan asked, leaning against a bookcase as he watched her.

The pants she wore looked nice on her, which meant she spent a lot of time dressing up for the weather in Russia. She even wore a turtleneck and had her hair in a little bun not wearing her usual low pigtails. The dark-skinned female knew how to dress for the summer but for winter and autumn, she had trouble getting use to clothing that was made to keep her warm in the cold weather.

He remembered the first time she came to his country to strengthen the relationship between her country and Soviet Russia. She had only worn a light jacket and ended up getting sick from the cold. Ivan had felt sorry for the small nation who had known nothing but the warmth and sunshine back in at her home.

Overall, she looked rather nice.

"Oui, I'd like something to drink."

Sesel's soft voice brought him back around. "Do you want tea or vodka?" he asked.

"I'll have what you're drinking. It is all right. I don't mind the taste anymore…you've given me plenty of lessons on how to properly drink vodka without keeling over from the strong taste of it," she said briefly remembering the time when she foolishly challenged him to a drinking match and lost horribly.

Nodding, Ivan went to the corner of the room where the bar was located. He decided to ask the question that would get a conversation going. "So, how was your trip?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her shrug. "It was alright. In fact, I believe it was rather productive and relaxing."

Ivan shook his head, not having a clue what that meant. Therefore, he decided to come at it from a different angle. "Did you and China get to spend time together? If I remember correctly he invited you to tour his country with him."

Now feeling warm enough, Sesel crossed the room to sit down on the sofa. She felt tired. She had left home early only to have to sit and wait all day at the airport for her flight to leave. "No. China had to cancel because he was too busy bugging America to pay him back the money he owes. I wasn't disappointed that he had to cancel…being the world's rising Superpower has made his schedule full."

Ivan turned so his back was completely to her as he drew in a long, silent breath. _'So Yao's been sniffing around her as well…what are you planning China?'_ As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he became a little ashamed and embarrassed. China had always been a friend of Seychelles…it wasn't strange that he would want to spend time with her.

Shaking his head, Ivan walked over to the couch with a cup of vodka in his hand. "Here you—"

He stopped in midsentence. Sesel had curled up on his sofa and had gone to sleep. Without giving it a second thought, Ivan placed the glass of vodka on the table, than swung Sesel up into his arms, cradling her against his chest, and made his way upstairs towards the guest room.

He gently placed her on the bed, then stood back and studied her sleeping form for several long moments before smiling and bending down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead, fingers running through her dark hair and removing the ribbon that kept her hair in a bun.

He set the ribbon on the nightstand next to her bed before clicking off the lamp and backing out quietly from her room, closing the door with a silent click.

'_Friends…do not worry my little Sesel…I'll make your second stay in my home less cold and less stressful for you,' _he thought as he made his way down the hall to his own room.

'_That's what friends are for da?'_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_TBC_


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Frigid Euphoria

Chapter Two Summary: Ivan wants more.

Warnings: Short drabble.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

Up until this evening, every date he spent with the small and shy islander had ended the same. With a kiss. Then more kisses that started with soft pecks and worked their way up to deep, wet, kisses. Kisses that made Ivan feel hotter than he had ever been with any other lover.

However, no matter how hot he became, Seychelles never pushed it past warm kisses and light caresses, leaving him humming and thrumming with unsatisfied desire. Ivan understood his little lover's wish to take things slow until they were both comfortable with their feelings for each other. He understood that their relationship was not going to be easy and that past grievances and current flaws would rear their ugly heads to tear their budding romance into pieces.

They were just too...

...different.

Seychelles was shy. He was ambitious. Seychelles was kind. He could be kind one moment and then patronizing the next. Seychelles was warm. He was cold. Seychelles tolerated those she did not like. He preferred to hurt those he did not like. Seychelles did not enjoy cruelty. He always had his reasons for being cruel.

How the two of them fell for each other remains a mystery.

Nevertheless, that no longer mattered.

Ivan was done with taking it slow. He wanted Sesel, he wanted her now, and judging from the way she squirmed when his gaze kept straying down to the curves of her breasts swelling over the neckline of the dress she wore for dinner, she was finally done waiting too.

He reached over the table and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, smirking when she leaned against his cold hand and gently grabbed his fingers, pressing her lips against the tips.

"I-I've missed you...," she mumbled.

Ivan only smiled that trademark smile of his and said, "Show me. Show me that you've missed me."

That was all it took and before he knew it she was crawling on his lap and kissing the side of his neck, biting down, marking him, claiming him…

…and Ivan smiled.

_Finally. _


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Frigid Euphoria

Chapter Three Summary: Their relationship in fifteen sentences.

Warnings: None

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

Adverse – At first, she did not like his dark sense of humor nor did she like the way he felt so…cold…so dead. Now, after years of not seeing him she wanted nothing more than to embrace his faults.

Amiable – She had been easy to befriend. All he had to do was smile and compliment her culture like a good little Russia tourist. Yet, the more he did it the more he found himself enjoying her company.

Bizarre – She learned that he loved ballet and would spend hours practicing his poise and grace in the dance room. How could someone as big as Russia find enjoyment in something so beautiful and serene? How…bizarre.

Blood – Ivan learned very quickly that he did not like watching her bleed. He could not help but panic a little when the dark-skinned country accidentally cut her hand with a knife she had been using to make dinner. "Ivan! It's fine you don't need to wrap my hand up in gauze!"

Confident – He felt his confidence grow when he spotted her in the crowd, waving his flag and cheering him on. Hockey had never been so fun until now. He was definitely going to win.

Conscience – Her conscience was screaming at her to go back and fold the broken nation into her arms, but the more reasonable side of her told her keep walking and never look back.

Disinterest – "It's not that I'm not interested in learning how to swim…I just don't know how." Sesel only smiled and took his hand, leading him towards the water. "Then let me show you how."

Dual – She learned that he had two sides. That side who wanted to make friends and the other who wanted to be left alone.

Empathy – Sometimes, Ivan wished that he could not feel what she was feeling. Their relationship was threatening to change everything that made him who he was today...

Envy – "Oh Ivan…the color green does not suit you."

Fortuitous – Last night was a mistake, but he did not know that there were going to be more mistakes to come.

Flair – Like his elder sister Ukraine, Ivan had a talent for knitting and he made it a habit of knitting different-colored scarves for Seychelles who showed her thanks by knitting him new gloves.

Gibe – Their judgmental looks and silent whispers never brought her down. She chose to follow her own path and if that path involved him then so be it.

Home – Home is where he feels accepted. Home is wherever she is.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Frigid Euphoria

Chapter Four Summary: He was home and she is merely welcoming him back.

Warnings: None

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

The two of them were staring at each other, a sense of inevitable growing. Of being unable to escape, and both knowing they didn't want to. It had been far too long…too long since they've been alone or even spoken to each other.

She missed him and he missed her.

Suddenly, his large, cold hands were cupping her face, drawing her to him. Sesel went willingly, pressing herself against him even as his mouth claimed hers. The kiss was hot, insistent, erotic. His mouth was firm and tender, better than she remembered and she had thought she had remembered it all. Her arms went around him as she held on.

Pressing their bodies together, their tongues tangled in rediscovered yearning. He tasted of the heavy snow that plagued his lands and of himself—flavors that were impossible to resist let alone ignore. She tilted her head to deepen the kiss, leaned into him, wishing she could crawl inside and give in to his request of becoming one with him.

He dropped his hands to her hips, his fingertips lightly touching the curve of her bottom. Without thinking, she pushed her hips towards him in an age-old invitation that made them both breathe out a sigh of want and relief as they eventually made their way upstairs to finish what they've started.

He was home.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Frigid Euphoria

Chapter Five Summary: Her secrets have always left him in the dark

Warnings: None

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

I have always been fascinated by secrets. I grew up under a false sense of security with my two sisters and Mongolia, so of course I see secrets and danger everyplace I look. Sweet little Japan who claims to agree with America on everything—still holds resentment towards him for Hiroshima and Little Boy, secretly glade that America is in so much debt he practically belongs to China.

Spain who always offers tomatoes to unsuspecting strangers—trying his best to keep past bloodlust and dark history back into the darkest corner of his mind even though he wants nothing more than to re-conquer his former colonies.

People lie even us Nations. Its instinctive, it's like breathing. We lie because we believe that everyone can see our dirty little secrets.

My sweet little Sunflower lies. Sesel looks me in the eye as she does it. As liars go, Sesel is a genius. She learned how to whisper sweet, silver lies from her father figure Francis…the king of liars and false promises.

I think I had known her for years before I figured out that beneath her sweet façade there lurked a deep web of lies and betrayal. I noticed it in small things first. The way she would freeze up during sex and cling onto me like a child and not a lover. Or the times she would not talk to me for months no matter how hard I tried to lure her into a conversation.

Sometimes, I tried to tease the truth out of her or sometimes I tried to get straight to the point.

"Tell me what it was like being a colony of both France and England? Were they like fathers or dictators?"

She would try to hedge. "Why does it matter? Those days are long gone and they are longer the men they use to be. I have you now and I'm happy…happier than I've ever been in years."

One night, when Sesel refused to come to bed, choosing instead to watch television downstairs, I was feeling edgy and impatient. I was sick of her acting strangely, of being so secretive, and stubborn. She was mine but she wasn't entirely mine…all her secrets were preventing us from fully being together.

I knew her as a country…but as a person I know nothing except what her hobbies were, her hopes, her dreams etc. She claims that she has no secrets to tell me but I begged to differ. To approach the matter more directly was going to be hard but I was not the sort of man to give up.

"Truth or dare," I said.

She finally looked away from the late night show she was watching, brown eyes tired from spending too much time watching the screen. "What?"

"Truth or dare. Come now my little Sunflower you love games."

Sesel stared at me, her brown eyes wary. "I only like to play chess and monopoly. Truth or dare is more of a game that America would like to play."

" I am not America."

"Nor am I."

Sesel sighed and rubbed her temples, her expression stony as she picked up the remote and turned off the television. "Ivan…how about we just go back to bed…I'm so tired."

" Nyet. I am not feeling tired and we have not played a decent game in so long my little sunflower. I did invite you to spend the month with me in my house and as a good guest you must play a game with me da?"

That seemed to finally get her attention and she finally nodded in silent acceptance. "Fine. What do you want Russia."

Whenever she called me by my nation's name, it meant she was either displeased with me or was attempting to emotionally distance herself from me. She didn't like how I always pushed her, but my little sunflower was more than just dark skin and a pretty face. Her country was capable of so much more than tourism and beautiful islands.

"Truth or dare. Just pick. It is not so hard so hurry and choose or I'll choose for you." I sat next to her, close enough so that are legs were touching and her shoulder was pressed against my own. I wore simple pajama pants, socks, and the scarf my beloved older sister made for me.

Sesel only wore a light nightgown and had her hair in a bun. She had long since gotten use to the cold of my home and came to me for warmth, something I was gladly able to give. Wrapping an arm around her, I pulled her closer, noticing her hair was a little damp.

She must have showered and smoothed an almond-scented lotion all over her body. It was a subtle scent, light, clean, but she knew I caught it because my nostrils flared just a fraction, then she leaned away just a little gently rejecting my offer to keep her warm.

"Ivan…"

"Play with me, Sesel. I We love each other. It's not too much to ask da?"

She was going to do it. I could tell by the way she steeled her spine, tried to look brave. She had been putting me off for years. Surely, she realized at a certain point she would have to share more intimate details about her life. I told her my secrets…now it was her turn.

"Dare," she said at last.

"Kiss me," I ordered. "For one minute."

She hesitated. I thought she would get up and go upstairs to the guest room for the night, and I braced myself for rejection. But then she sighed and smiled, ever so softly she smiled. She turned her head to look up at me and closed her eyes, puckering her lips. Of course, I was taller and bigger than she was so I leaned forward and pressed my lips against her own.

She was going to be chaste about it, I knew her better then she knew herself and had anticipated the chasteness of our kiss. And I know that if I tried to be aggressive or demanding, she would shut down. Sesel never yelled at me, never struck me, never attempted to argue with me. She simply disappeared, somewhere deep inside her where nothing I said or did seemed to reach her, until I could be standing right beside her, and I would still be alone.

My girlfriend, my little sunflower respected me. Did not fear me like the rest did. Accepted my bloody history. Loved me. She showed me compassion when I knew full well I did not deserve it. She did her best to spend more time with me and did not talk about politics every time we had lunch together.

Except when it came to sex. We have a very active and healthy sex life, but whenever she became moody or whenever I pushed her too far she would shut down. Call me cruel but I have always loved the reactions people gave me whenever I've discovered their carefully hidden secret.

Only when I tried to dig into her secrets she would stop being physically affectionate with me or stop speaking to me altogether.

I did not open my mouth. I did not grab her thin shoulders; bury my fingers in her dark hair. I did not do anything that I longed to do. Instead, I held back my impatience, and ever so slowly, I kissed her back.

She gave me gentleness, so I returned her sweetness, my breath whispering across her closed lips. She gave me love, so I showered it upon the corner of her mouth, the full expanse of her bottom lip. She gave me respect, so I never once pushed the boundaries she had set.

Nevertheless, I daresay it was still a good kiss. My little sunflower was not naïve or innocent.

When the minute was up, she drew back. But she was breathing harder now, and I could see something lurking in her eyes. Something dark, intense. It made me want to push her small body into the couch and have my way with her until we were both ready to be one, until she stopped clinging onto me like a scared child.

She wanted me too. I could see it from the way she was breathing and staring at me but we still had a game to finish…and I was going to get my prize.

Instead of giving her what she wanted, I whispered, "Truth or dare little one. Your turn. Ask me. Truth or dare."

I could see the conflict. She wanted to say dare. She wanted me to touch her again. Or maybe take off her nightgown. Or trail my large hands across her dark skin and petite body.

"Truth," she said huskily.

"Ask."

"Ivan, why are you doing this?"

"Because I cannot help myself."

"Ivan." She closed her eyes, and for a moment, I could feel her pain.

For a moment, just for a moment, I felt guilty and was going to go back kissing her but I held myself back. "Truth or dare," I demanded.

"Truth," she nearly growled.

"What is the worst thing you've ever done?"

"What do you mean cher?"

"What is the worst thing you've ever done? Come now sunflower. Have you lied? Stolen? Kill anyone? Tell me, Sesel. I want to know more about you. We love each other do we not? Surely you owe me that much."

She looked at me funny. "Ivan…"

"No. No whining, no negotiating, and no more shutting down on me da? Just answer the question. Have you ever done something you regret?"

"…Yes."

"…What?" I asked, genuinely surprised. I always knew that my sunflower was a person who tried to live with no regrets…but to hear that she regretted things she did in life made this game…unsettling.

"Yes I have done things that I have regret doing. But that's not the worst thing I've ever done."

Then Sesel got off the sofa, took me by the hand, and led me upstairs to the room we shared…the game over….

…for now.


End file.
